Late Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson said,"It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error."This blog is for people to share their thoughts and ideas on things of interest in this town of Buffalo Oklahoma.

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Tuesday, October 28, 2008

This is a very public place to share information. The fact is that several hundred different individuals are looking in on this blog every week. Never have there ever been that many people at a Town Board meeting. This can prove to be a useful arena to share information about the activities that are going on. If this blog is reaching out to this many people then its purpose can be served.

MLK Jr. Said “The comfortable, the entrenched, the privileged cannot continue to tremble at the prospect of change in the status quo.”

Currently this town seems to be divided between status quo and forward thinking progress. What legacy will the current board members leave behind with their time on the board? Do they want to face the issues head on or ignore them and hope they go away? There has not been a significant amount of investment put into the infrastructure of this town in several decades. The town’s infrastructure continues to fall apart right before our eyes and yet no one wants to address any of it. There is no 1 year plan; no 5 year plan; there is absolutely no plan at all. There is growth going on around us but the lack of the necessary foresight and planning will not allow any spurt of development to occur within our city limits. We need new development in town which will in turn generate new revenue for the city’s coffers. It will take an investment in the city works itself to promote growth. The city cannot rely solely on the sales tax base. The public utilities that they provide need to be considered as a source of revenue also. A lot of people would be surprised to know that the water tower at the city park has not been in use since the 1970’s. Can you judge the character of a town by the condition of its water tower?

Off the soap box!! What are the solutions? Participation is the solution. There are bigger challenges than any 5 board members and city office staff should have to undertake alone. We need committees and subcommittees and sub-subcommittees working together on what can be done and how. Check our hats at the door, forget about any skeletons in the closet, and put our minds together for the common good of this community. Talk to your favorite board members and encourage the rest of them. Give them confidence to undertake the things that few before them have had to address. Ask yourself what your legacy will be regarding your participation in the future of your home town.

This is my Home Town and I am proud of it. I want the children that are growing up here today to have the same chance to be proud of their Home Town, as am I. Maybe as they grow older they will want to spend their whole life in Buffalo, Oklahoma, as have I.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

§11-8-114. Institute - Statewide organization to conduct.A. Each person elected for the first time to a position of a municipality on or after January 1, 2005, or appointed for the first time on or after July 1, 2006, shall be required within one (1) year after taking the oath of office to attend an institute for municipal officials. The Institute shall be conducted at all times, in cooperation with the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, by or under the supervision of a statewide organization that is exempt from taxation under federal law and designated pursuant to the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C., Section 170(a). The statewide organization shall demonstrate to the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education that it has represented municipalities, had statutory functions and conducted training programs for municipalities for at least fifteen (15) years prior to November 1, 2005. It shall further demonstrate that its continuous official purpose is to promote the general welfare of cities and towns, to foster or conduct schools, short courses and other training sessions, to provide technical assistance and consultive services and other aids for the improvement and increased efficiency of city and town government, and to serve as the representative of cities and towns in carrying out the duties and prerogatives conferred on it by state law.B. The Institute shall consist of eight (8) hours of instruction. A certificate of completion shall be awarded to those persons who attend and successfully complete the Institute and a list of those persons shall be filed with the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.C. The curriculum for the Institute shall include, but not be limited to: municipal budget requirements, the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, the Oklahoma Open Records Act, ethics, procedures for conducting meetings, conflict of interest, and purchasing procedures.D. The Institute shall be held at a minimum of six regional locations in the state. Every effort shall be made by the Institute to accommodate training through long-distance learning.E. A person elected or appointed to a municipal position who fails to satisfy the education requirements of this section shall cease to hold the position commencing at the next scheduled meeting of the governing body following the first-year anniversary of the person’s taking the oath of office.F. At the time of filing, the designated statewide organization shall provide the necessary information to the candidate of the option for attendance at the Institute as provided for in this section. In the case of officials nominated and elected for municipal offices at town meetings, the presiding officer of the town meeting shall notify the candidate of the option.

Was Mr. Carpenter elected for the first time after January 1, 2005? Has Mr. Carpenter attended the institute? Has it been a year since he took the oath of office which he was elected? Has he been re-appointed to the board if his position actually ceased?

Thursday, October 9, 2008

The Sheriff’s annual budget of dispatch for Fire Department, EMS, and all of the Sheriff’s Deputies approximately $94,771. Marty thinks the Town of Buffalo should pay for one third.That’s $31,590 annually which is equal to $2,633.53 per month.

What do you think?

Cell phone with call forwarding?

Do it themselves and hire a dispatcher to be active when the officer is patrolling.

Pay the requested amount.Pay ______(enter your own amount)

Pay $0

Get the county commissioners to implement the E911 revenue source through landline and cell phone bill. (Estimated to be around $3800.00 a month of potential revenue). And since I kind of like this one let me share with you something interesting. If someone from elsewhere in the state is working in Harper County and they use their cell phone in Harper County more than fifty percent of the time in Harper County then that E911 money off of that person’s cell phone would go to Harper County E911. That’s right no matter if they live somewhere else. It is where the phone is used the most. The cell phone E911 revenue would bring about $1200 of the $3800 mentioned earlier. Cost for per cell phone, 50 cents per month

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

What is the hot topic that is about to come out in Buffalo? Why are there just a few of the Town board members that are in the know? Is it a coincidence that INSIDEBUFFALO has something juicy? If info is being with held from within its members won’t that cause “it” to hit the fan like INSIDEBUFFALO is predicting? Call the board members. Ask them what is going on. Who knows and who doesn’t? Do we have a right to know?

Monday, October 6, 2008

Well, here we go again, the political arena at its finest. This Wednesday, the Town Of Buffalo will be approached about the following two agenda items.

Discussion & possible action approving a Jail Service Agreement with the Harper County Sheriff and the Board of County Commissioners of Harper County to establish the terms and conditions under which municipal prisoners will be housed in the Harper County jail during fiscal year 2008-09

Discussion & possible action regarding an agreement with the Harper County Sheriff to establish the terms and conditions for dispatching services during fiscal year 2008-09

Keep in mind that just recently the Town was approached by another entity of the Board of County Commissioners of Harper County the Harper County Community Hospital. They needed help with funding a building on there behalf at the tune of $30,000 of the Towntaxpayer's dollars. The Town gleefully accepted the burden of this expenditure knowing it will have an effect on its budget. It was for the good of the community.

Now here comes the County Commissioners themselves in disguise as the Harper County Sheriffs Department wanting an “agreement” that has “terms and conditions” for dispatch and jail service. It will be fascinating to see how much the terms and conditions will cost the taxpayers of Buffalo this go round.

Was the Town of Buffalo premature to, as it has been termed lately, “Bail Out” the Hospital which I remind you is a child of the Board of County Commissioners as is the Sheriff’s Dept. If I scratch your back will you scratch my back? Do the County Commissioners (sheriff’s dept) have the Town of Buffalo over a barrel?

Oh, by the way, there already is an agreement that has been in effect between the Town of Buffalo and Harper County Sheriff and the Board of County Commissioners of Harper County since our county put into service the 911 system almost 10 years ago. (Nov. 1998)That cost for dispatch and jail…….. ZERO DOLLARS.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Late Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson said,"It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error."Notice how the word "citizen" is used in the singular tense.By using it this way it is stressing the importance of each individual to participate.Everyone's function is to be involved in their government.Is your government falling into error?Are YOU functioning?

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Greg Harper

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